Community photo: Dardanelle Intermediate SchoolOn Oct. 23, the Walmart DC Transportation Office presented the Dardanelle Intermediate School with $1,000 for the Teacher Rewards Program. Twenty teachers received a $50 gift card. This program is designed to offset the cost of K-8th grade teachers taking money out of their own pockets to purchase supplies for their classroom. This year Walmart will donate $4.5 million dollars to 90,000 teachers all across the United States. Pictured are (top ...

Wal-Mart’s free shipping has restrictionsNEW YORK — Wal-Mart is promising it won’t be beat on prices this holiday season. But online shoppers shouldn’t expect free shipping without any restrictions. In a sneak peak to its holiday strategies, the world’s largest retailer says it will offer price cuts, or what it refers to as “rollbacks,” starting Nov. 1 on thousands of holiday products that will last at least 90 days. That’s the same time as a year ago. It also says it will offer fewe...

What’s in the chip?LITTLE ROCK — Debit and credit cards are getting a new look. A computer chip is being added to both types of cards to make consumers’ information more secure. All major credit card providers, including MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express, are currently sending Arkansans new cards to replace existing credit cards, and banks are issuing new debit cards. Now, instead of swiping the card to complete the transaction, cards equipped with...

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FOR THE COURIER / SubmittedThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Panel approves road work bidsLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas State Highway Commission (ASHC) announced Wednesday approved bids for improvements to roadways in Pope and Yell County, according to Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) officials. The purpose of the first project is to construct two passing lanes on 2.3 miles of Scenic State Highway 7. The improvements will begin near the Dover city limits and extend northward toward the town of Pleasant Valle...

GM overcomes huge recall costs to post healthy 3Q profitDETROIT (AP) — General Motors' third-quarter profit fell slightly, but the company rode strong North American sales to overcome $1.5 billion in costs from its deadly ignition switch recall. Its shares rose almost 7 percent in afternoon trading Wednesday. The Detroit automaker's net income slipped 1.4 percent from a year ago, but still was $1.36 billion, or 84 cents per share. That compares with $1.38 billion, or 81 cents per share, a year ago....

City Corp. set to build pump station coverThe City Corp. board of directors voted during its Tuesday meeting to build a new covering for the RAS/WAS pump station at the Water Treatment Plant. Operations Manager Larry Collins told the board that the pump station is currently an open-top structure that is uncovered, and personnel were concerned about freezing temperatures and general protection of the equipment. The board approved the lowest of two bids, submitted by VEI, at a cost of $...

Court upholds majority of damages for former Family Dollar workersLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Court of Appeals has upheld $2.75 million in damages awarded to two former employees of Family Dollar whom the business falsely accused of theft. The court on Wednesday upheld the damages a Crittenden County jury awarded last year to Jimmy Huff and Robert Ward on their malicious prosecution claims against the company. The appeals court, however, dismissed the $250,000 the two each received on their outrage claims aga...

City water voted best in 3 statesMembers of City Corp. and its Board of Directors celebrated Tuesday that the city’s water utility was voted best tasting water in the tri-state region earlier this month. Six months ago, City Corp. staff entered Russellville’s drinking water in the statewide Drinking Water Taste Contest at the annual convention in Hot Springs and was voted best tasting water in Arkansas for the first time since 2005. For the first time in the utility’s history...

Service technician earns HondaPro Red Level awardSteve Scoggins of Honda of Russellville recently renewed his HondaPro Red Level service technician status. The Red Level Certification requires numerous hours of study and classroom education and is American Honda Powersports’ highest award for their service technicians. Presenting Steve with the award is Service Manager Terry Betnar and District Service Manager Ryan Anderson.

A&P Commission approves ’16 budgetThe Russellville Advertising and Promotion Commission (A&P) approved its 2016 budget during its regular meeting Thursday. A&P Executive Director Christie Graham set expected income at $330,000, so total expenses, advertising, capital expenses and proposals had to be at or under $330,000. Expenses totaling $124,000 and advertising totaling $53,800 were approved. A few proposals were reduced or moved to capital expenses. Requests from Veterans M...

New suspect software affects ’16 VW dieselsWASHINGTON — U.S. regulators say they have a lot more questions for Volkswagen, triggered by the company’s recent disclosure of additional suspect software in 2016 diesel models that potentially would help exhaust systems run cleaner during government tests. That’s more bad news for VW dealers looking for new cars to replace the ones they can no longer sell because of the worldwide cheating scandal already engulfing the world’s largest automak...

Wal-Mart stock plunges after warningNEW YORK — Wal-Mart stock had its biggest one-day drop in nearly three decades after the world’s largest retailer said it’s bracing for its profit to take a hit as it works to fend off competition. The company is forecasting its profit to fall by as much as 12 percent in its next fiscal year as it perks up customer service and adapts to changing shopping habits. It also expects sales for this full fiscal year to be flat, hurt by unfavorable cu...

Program offers cash incentives for quality health care shoppingPaula Bennett pockets about $3,000 a year from her employer mainly for driving around 80 miles roundtrip for a deal on doses of her Crohn’s disease treatment Remicade. The extra income comes through SmartShopper, a program offered by some employers to provide cash to workers who choose quality health care options with lower prices. “I absolutely love the program,” said Bennett, 43, a fiscal specialist with New Hampshire’s Division for Children...

Bost Foundation Inc. makes donationAt a recent Bost Inc. board meeting, Caleb Yerton, Bost Foundation Inc. board of trustees secretary, presented Bost Inc. with a donation of over $45,000. All funds donated to Bost Inc. are used locally to further the mission of empowering individuals with disabilities and their families to achieve greater independence. The Bost Foundation was established “to support the programs and services provided by Bost Inc. by cultivating community aware...